Baby traveling-commode



(No Model.)

WQMORRIS.

BABY TRAVELING GOMMODE. No. 371,699. Patented Oct. 18, 1887.

N. PUERs. Phumuuwgnphm Wishlnglun. D4 0,

Ilivrrn WVALTER MORRIS, OF DOVER, DELAWVARE.

BABY TRAVELING-=CQMMODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,699, dated October '18, 1887.

Application filed April 2, 1887. Serial No. 233,346. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER MoRRis, of Dover, in the county of Kent, State of Delaware, have invented a new and useful Baby Traveling-Ciommode, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a convenient travelingcommode or baby-chair, for usein traveling with babies or little chil dren,which can readily be folded up or packed in a very little space and in a form to be carried very conveniently in the hand, and which shall present a desirable appearance. v

Another object of my invention is to avoid the use of any crockery or glass in such an ar; ticle and to substitute therefor a material which is not only not liable to be broken, but can be folded up and compressed into a very small space.

My invention will be fully understood .from the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 showing my commode folded up and ready to be carried in the hand, Fig. 2 showing it open and resting upon the floor in a condition to be used, and Fig. 3 being a sectional view of the parts through the seat and folding ends or sides.

I prefer to form my commode of wood, and it may be paneled and made up in various designs; but of course it may be made of other materials, if preferred. The part A, which forms theseat of the commode and is made of the proper size, may be made of a thin panel, or otherwise put together, so as to have sufficient strength and stiffness to act as a seat and hold the other parts in place. At the ends of this piece are hinged, both on its upper and lower sides, the pieces B B and G 0. These are hinged to the part A, so that they may be folded inward and lie against the surfaces of the seat when the commode is folded up, as shown in Fig. 1. hen the commode is unfolded, they can be opened to the positions shown in Fig. 2, so that the upper pieces, BB, form arms or sides to prevent the child from falling out, and the lower parts, 0 0, form legs or supports to support the seat. When the end pieces have been unfolded to the position shown in Fig. 2, they may be conveniently locked or rigidly fixed in that position by means of bolts 1) b, which can be pushed down from the upper part, B, into the lower part, 0, so as to stiftly connect these parts together, or they may be held in place with the necessary ri gidity with any other convenient locking device. The part D, which forms the back, is hinged to the seat by means of hinges which project somewhat above the seat, as shown, so that it can be folded over and lie against the upper sides of the parts B B when the commode is folded up, as shown in Fig. 1, the space between the back and the seat being covered by a piece of leather, a.

To prevent the back 1? from being swung back too far, I provide suitable hooks, d d, or other connecting devices, by which the part D is rigidly held in its upright position. A handle, a, is attached to some convenient portion of the commode, as shown, so that when it is folded up it may be conveniently carried in the hand, like a satchel, and the parts are held locked or folded together by some form of looking or connecting device-such as the hooks e e, for example.

In order to avoid the use of china or glass, and makethe commode capable of being folded up into a very small space, and especially so as to be of very little thickness, I form the chamber F of india'rubber or other impervious and collapsible material, so that there is no danger of its being broken in use, and it can be folded or compressed into very small space, so as to be of only sufficient thickness to allow the parts of the commode to be folded together, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that I have thus constructed a travelingcommode adapted to be carriedin the hand, wherein all essential parts are present, and yet those which would suggest its use are entirely hidden from view by the side pieces. IVhile I have shown the chair as having two side pieces and a back, it will be un derstood that one or more of such pieces may be omitted, so long as the side pieces projecting upward from the seat will when folded down completely cover and hide the upper face of the seat and chamber. I form this chamber with a bowl, F, of the desired depth, and a flange, f, which rests on the top of the seat, in a groove or recess, if desired, and serves to hold it in place. In order to reduce the weight of the commode as far as possible,

the folding pieces may be made in the form of light frames, as I have shown in Fig. 2, for example, paneled with very light panels H, made of stiff leather or other suitable material,leaving spaces It in the frames, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which towels, soap, paper, or other desired articles may be packed.

The packing-spaces h are formed between the panelpieces H and other panel or guard pieces, I, which are of such shape and so arranged as to make the spaces or pockets it easily accessible, a convenient arrangement being that shown, wherein the guard-piece I is formed of a thin material similar to H, but of less depth, leaving the pocket open, the latter being so arranged that when the parts are folded for carrying the opening to the pocket is closed, as byback D.

The back or part D may be paneled in the same way and may be provided on its outer face with an extension-pocket, G, as shown, which may be used to hold various articles.

After my improved commode has been used the rubber chamber F may be emptied and washed out. After unfastening the side pieces and the back the parts may then be folded together in an instant, so that the whole folds into a very convenient form to carry, resembling somewhat a portfolio, and not exposing to sight any undesirable portion.

I am aware that folding commodes or chairs have been known before, such an article being described in patent to Morse, No. 214,174, April 8, 1879, for example, and I do not broadly claim such an article. In folding commodes, as they have heretofore been made, the parts have been so constructed that the article when. folded up was very cumbersome and inconvenient to carry in the hand, liable to get out of order, or be broken easily, and the parts folded in such a way that the seat was not protected from view, and consequently the article presented a very objectionable appearance. Vhereas in my construction of folding commode the article is very simple and strong, very easily unfolded or put together for use, it.folds into the least possible space in the form of a very thin or flat rectangular figure, which is most convenient to carry or pack, and the seat or other objectionable portion, as well as the chamber itself, is entirely protected from view, so that the foldedup commode presents no appearance which indicates what it is used for.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of the seat or part A, the collapsible bowl or chamber F, fitted into the seat, the sides or arm-pieces B B, hinged to the ends of the seat and folding so as to lie flat upon and entirely cover the seat, the back D, folding so as to lie flat upon and cover the sides B B, and the supports or pieces 0 C, also hinged to the ends of the seat and folding so as to lie flat upon and entirely cover or inclose the other side of the seat, the collapsible bowl, hooks for securing said parts together when folded, and a carrying-handle, substantially as described. v 2. A traveling-commode adapted to be carried in the hand, consisting of the seat, side pieces hinged to the seat and formingsupports therefor, and a side piece or pieces hinged to the seat and extending upward therefrom,

said side pieces being adapted to fold, respect ively, upon the opposite side of the seat and thereby completely cover and hide the same,

and being formed of outer frames which impart the requisite strength, and light panels H, whereby the device is rendered light, and guardpieees I, of less size than panels H, and

arranged opposite thereto,where by open pack- 

